“Young blonde actors are never the lead.”
Those tiny little glances. Those momentary pre-audition eye rolls in the waiting room. Yes you know the glance. You are sitting in the audition room, script in hand, carefully brushing your flyaway hairs down with your hand to make sure it’s perfect. And suddenly across the room you spot the gorgeous brunette with the pearly white teeth and flawless makeup. She looks over, locks eyes with you and gives you “
the look”. You know the one. Its’ the one that instantly has you grimacing internally and wondering “OMG is there spinach in my teeth”.
It’s happened to me a million times. If they don’t give me “the look”, then they try and talk me down with nonsense and silly talk that leaves any actor feeling under prepared, stupid and naïve to think they should even be in the audition room.
The worst example that I have heard recently was a lovely young blonde actor who came out of a feature film recall and told me that the other female actor had said directly to her “young blonde actors are never the lead” (remember the actor she is talking to is naturally fair haired). They’re not what! Whoever prescribed the lead acting rules to that wee lass. And the cheek of her to say something so cruel before that actor went into her recall. Which reminds me, who was that famous blonde actor who did really well (and continues to do so) in showbiz…Scarlett Johansson…oh yes that’s her. I’m pretty certain Woody Allen wasn’t casting her based on her blonde hair.
When you get in that audition room you need to own it. The casting director brought you in because they saw something unique in you. Your headshot or your CV made them believe you could be the next leading lady on their commercial, or the next guest star on that brilliant new UK soap. You are there because you have something that they want. And every time you walk into that audition room they are hoping just as much as you are that you’ll be the one. They want you to be the one.
So when that gorgeous brunette looks over and gives you that look next time, look back and give her the most beautiful confident smile you have. Make sure she knows you are about to knock them dead out of the water.
Go get em tiger.
And what's so wrong with making a friend or two in the waiting room? Would make the process much more enjoyable for everyone…if we could all be pleasant…and even (gasp!) encourage one another…
🙂